Valve-in-head rotary internal-combustion engine embodying a rotary piston with radial sliding vanes and having a combustion chamber in the head



March 9, 1948. w, c 2,437,653

VALVE-IN-HEAD ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EMBODYING A ROTARY PISTON WITH RADIAL SLIDING vANEs AND HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE HEAD Filed July 3, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor March 9, 1948. E. w. RICH 7 2,437,653

VALVE-IN-HEAD ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EMBODYING A ROTARY. PISTON WITH RADIAL SLIDING.VANES AND HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE HEAD Filed July 3, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l I so I 2: i /3 2W /2 l o 4 w as" JZ. if //73 wJ WW I j i g 7 37 Inventor m 4 j :2 r 2 fi 7 Everei'i' w Back I /E.::/-6 0 I By m E 28 I [V :23 eon W Ma March 1948- E. W.'RICH 37,653

VALVE-IN-HEAD ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EMBODYING A ROTARY PISTON WITH RADIAL SLIDING VANES AND HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE HEAD Filed July s, 1945 5 Sheets-Shea; 3

ml... nmnL Inventor ,E'a'ereiZW 731-672 RICH 2,437,653

COMBUSTION ENGINE EMBODYING IAL March 9, 1948.

RAD SLIDING VANES AND N CHA E. W. VALVE-IN-HEAD ROTAR NTERNAL A ROTARY FIST WITH HAVING A 00 STIO ed July 3 MBER IN THE HEAD 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'L IT TI 2 T hnun Mfifllh g, w QH 2,43Z5

VALVE-IN-HEAD ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EMBODYING A ROTARY PISTON WITH RADIAL SLIDING VANES AND HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE HEAD Filed July 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 40 J Z9 Q Patented Mar. 9, 1 948 VALVE-IN-HEAD ROTARY INTERNAL-COM- BUSTION ENGINE EMBODYING A ROTARY I PISTON WITH RADIAL SLIDING VANES AND HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER INTHEHEAD Everett W. Rich, San Diego, Calif.

Application July 3, 1943, Serial No. 493,453

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in rotary combustion, steam or air engines or motors and has for one of its important objects to provide a powerplant of this character comprising a rotary eccentric piston and vanes of a novel construction and arrangement.

Another very importantobject of the invention is to provide a rotary engine of the character described comprising unique means for compressing and firing the charge for driving the eccentric piston.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a rotary engine which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in operation, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All Of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a view in end elevation of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-20! Figure 1.

Figure 2-a is a section taken on line 2a-2a of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the rotary eccentrically mounted piston.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of the housing, showing the rotary piston and vanes therein.

35 Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fi ure 3.

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view through one 4 of the cam shafts.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in section, showing the edge sealing means for the vanes.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view, showing the invention embodied in a steam, air or water en- 45 Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will 50 be seen that reference numeral designates a housing having a relieved or non-circular inner peripheral surface, or the side portions of the inner peripheral surface of which are relieved very V horizontally elongated, as indicated at a in Figure 4. The housing I includes removable ends 2 and 3 which are secured in position by bolts 4. A base 5 is provided beneath the housing I. Mounted on top of the housing I is a head 6 comprising a removable top plate I. Rods 8 secure the housing I and the head 6 in assembled position on the base 5, said rods passing through the top plate i of said head.

The inner face of the end plate 3 is recessed in a manner to provide an off-center spindle 9 in this end of the housing I. Projecting'from the spindle 9 is a spindle in which is centrally located in the housing I. Mounted eccentrically in the housing is a rotary piston I l. The eccentric piston II is fixed on one end of a shaft l2 which is journaled in an off-center bearing l3 which is provided therefor in the end plate 2 of the housing On the end thereof which is remote from the shaft [2, the piston H comprises and has bolted thereon a ring M which is journaled on a bearing 15 on the spindle 9.

On diametrically opposite sides, the peripheral portion of the piston H comprises removable segments l6. Countersunk Allen cap screws l'l secure the segments IE on the piston ll'. Radial vanes 18 are slidably mounted in the piston H and operable in the substantially crescentshaped chamber l9 which said piston defines in the housing I. The vanes l8 are secured, at their inner ends, to a connector 20 in the piston H, which connector is rotatable and slidable on the spindle in. A bearing 2| is provided on the spindle ill for the connector 20.

The chamber l9 receives fuel from a suitable source through an intake valve 22. The spent gases escape from the chamber l9 through an exhaust valve 23. Formed in the head 6 is a compression and firing chamber 24. The chamber 24 communicates with the chamber l9 through valves 25 and 2B. The valves 22, 23, 25, and 26 are of the poppet type and are closed by coil springs 21. Rocker arms 28 on the top plate I of the head 6 and on the end plate 2 of the housing I open the valves. Cam shafts 29 on the end plate 2 of the housing I are driven from the shaft l2 through gears 30. The cams 3| on the shafts 29 actuate the rocker arms 28 through push rods 32.

It is thought that the operation of the engine will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, as the eccentrically mounted piston H rotates, the intake valve 22 opens and fuel is drawn through intake passlightly so that the chamber in the housing is sage J into the chamber l9 by that one of the vanes l8 which has just passed the intake valve. The following vane then compresses this fuel in chamber is and the valve 25 opens to admit the charge to the chamber 24. A conventional spark plug ignites the charge in the chamber 24 as the vane which has compressed the fuel in said chamber passes the valve 26. As this occurs the valve 28 opens and the exploded charge enters the chamber l9 from the chamber 24 behind this vane for driving same and the piston. l I. At the correct time the exhaust valve 23 opens and thespent gases are expelled through exhaust passage E by the following vane. Of course, thevarious valves are timed to open and close correctly. The same vane receives a power charge and compresses each and every revolution, and the other vane intakes gases on one side and exhausts gases on the other side each revolution, each vane per forming its respective work every revolution. The

relieved or non-circular shape of the inner peripheral surface of housing I permits free operation of the vanes 18 therein even though the lat-- ter are disposed exactly-diametrically of the housing only when said vanes are vertical.

Split rings 33 are mounted in circumferential grooves which are provided therefor in the periphery of the piston H, adjacent the ends thereof, for preventing leakage between said piston and the annular wall of the chamber l9. Pins 34 and 35 are mounted, respectively, in intermediate portions of the rings 33 and on the end portions thereof. The pins 34 and 35 are engaged in sockets 36 which are provided therefor in the piston H. The pins 35 are comparatively heavy for causing the rings 33 to expand by centrifugal force and contact the annular wall of the chamber I9. Suitable rings and seals 3! and 38, respectively, are provided for preventing leakage between otherrelatively moving parts of the pistons II, the vanes 18, etc. A conventional spark plug P ignites the charge in the chamber 24. Any suitable ignition system may be provided for the-engine. As best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing, the faces of the vanes 18 are concave so that the gases are crowded toward the radial centers thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the drawing, a. steam line 40, from a suitable source of supply, is connected through a throttle valve 4! to an intake port or passage 42 which communicates with the chamber IS in the housing I. An exhaust port 43 is provided in the housing I in back of the intake 42. A sealing bar 44 which is recessed into the housing I between the intake 42 and the exhaust 43 rides on the periphery of the rotary piston H. Steam ducts 45, from the exhaust port 43 introduce steam. behind or above the bar. 44 for contacting same with the rotary piston. A spring 46 is also provided for this purpose,

In operation, steam entering the chamber I9 impinges the vanes I8 as they pass the intake port 42 for driving the rotary piston ll. As the vanes l8 pass the exhaust port or passage 43 the spent steam is exhausted from the chamber It is believed that the many advantages of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although. preferred embodiments are as illustrated and describe'dgit'isflto be understood that further modifications and changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed;

, What is claimedis:

In arotary-engine, a housing, a rotary piston eccentrically mounted in the housing and having radial sliding vanes, a head removably 'mounted. on the housing and provided with a combustion chamber and having horizontal intake and'exhaust passages opening through one side thereof. said intake and exhaust passages communicating with the housing at circumferentially spaced points, said head further having admission and outlet passages respectively con-. necting opposite ends of the combustion chamber with the interior of the housing at circumferentially spaced points, valve mechanism including poppet valves carried 'by the head and movable substantially radially of the housing for controlling said intake and exhaust passages, other valve mechanism including poppet valves movable parallel with the axis of the piston for controlling said admission and outlet passages, a charge-igniting device for the combustion chamber, and an axial-shaft for the piston, said valve mechanism including cam shafts at opposite sides of and driven by said axial shaft, and means operatively connecting said cam shafts to said poppet valves.

' EVERETT W. RICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,439 Barrow Dec. 9, 1879 231,520 Barrow Aug. 24, 1880 659,530 Jackson Oct. 9, 1900 973,833 Wilber Oct. 25, 1910 1,193,251 Foxgord et al. Aug. 1, 1916 1,302,504 Briggs May 6, 1919 1,322,882 Dorval Nov. 25, 1919 1,835,173 Musselwhite Dec. 8, 1931 1,857,931 AXien May 10, 1932 2,170,414 Jutting Aug. 22, 1939 2,231,440 Fess Feb. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,419 Great Britain June '22, 1877 407,135 Great Britain Mar. 15, 1934 249,539 Italy July 28, 1926 

